Eduardo Rodríguez President of Bolivia!

[IndianaGreen]

Eduardo Rodríguez Presidente de Bolivia

El abogado Eduardo Rodríguez Veltzé, hasta hoy presidente de la Corte Suprema, se convirtió en el encargado de conducir la transición en Bolivia al asumir la Jefatura del Estado, consecuencia de la grave crisis y sin haberlo soñado nunca.

http://www.jornadanet.com/

Attorney Eduardo Rodríguez Veltzé, until today president of the Supreme Court, has taken charge of leading the transition in Bolivia upon assuming the post of Chief of State, as a result of the grave crisis and without him ever dreaming of it.

[knowbody0]

1. viva Rodriguez

an amazing day for Bolivians

[On the Road]

2. So Other Than Being Chief Justice

What's his background and orientation?

[IndianaGreen]

3. Jordana Net is the only one carrying this story...

For what is worth, here is the official Bolivian government website, still 24 hours behind the regular press.

http://www.bolivia.gov.bo/

[hang a left]

4. here also

Bolivia tiene nuevo presidente
By Luis Gomez,
Posted on Thu Jun 9th, 2005 at 11:17:51 PM EST
Queridos lectores, la batalla llena de frentes y con un muerto tuvo ya su final. En estos minutos varios diputados se encuentran en la sede de la Corte Suprema de Justicia para invitar al "nuevo presidente constitucional", como lo llamó el propio Hormando Vaca Diez, a asumir el mando del Poder Ejecutivo.
Se trata del Dr. Eduardo Rodríguez Veltzñe, titular de la corte y un hombre de cabello entrecano, de anteojos y relacionado con el Movimiento Nacionalista Revolucionario... de todos modos, algunos movimientos sociales, como los de El Alto, no se han dejado desmovilizar tan fácilmente: mientras no se toque el "tema de la nacionalización de los hidrocarburos", como dijo Edgar Patana de la Central Obrera Boliviana, siguen las manifestaciones y los bloqueos.

(352 words in story) More...



http://narcosphere.narconews.com/

[IndianaGreen]

6. A Sucre publication is saying the same thing now

En el Congreso, Eduardo Rodríguez ya tiene anticipado el respaldo del MAS, de la bancada patriótica que apoya a Mesa y de los parlamentarios de ADN. Ayer se acentuaron los rumores de que el actual asesor de la presidencia de la Corte Suprema, Germán Gutiérrez, ya habría comenzado un rol de articulador político para la posible conformación del gobierno de Rodríguez.

http://correodelsur.net/2005/0609/titular.shtml

In Congress, Eduardo Rodríguez can expect the support of MAS (the leftwing group), the patriotic block that supports Mesa (the outgoing president), and the deputies of ADN (a political party). Yesterday the rumors rose that the actual successor to the presidency of the Supreme Court,Germán Gutiérrez, had begun his role as a political advocate for the possible confirmation of the Rodríguez government.

[hang a left]

21. In English

Bolivia Has a New President
By Luis Gomez,
Posted on Thu Jun 9th, 2005 at 11:51:56 PM EST
Kind readers, the battle of many armies and one death has reached its end. In these moments, several deputies are in the headquarters of the Supreme Court to invite the “new constitutional president,” as Hormando Vaca Diez called him, to assume command of the executive.
The new president is Dr. Eduardo Rodríguez, head of the court, a man with grey hair and glasses, connected to the Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (MNR)… But some social movements, like those in El Alto, haven’t let themselves be demobilized so easily. As long as “the issue of hydrocarbon nationalization” has not been touched upon, as Edgar Patana of the Bolivian Workers’ Federation said, the demonstrations and blockades will continue.


Hormando Vaca Diez himself presided over the Congressional session. Just before 10:00 at night, all the members of Congress present in Sucre sat down to deliberate in the House of Liberty, the legislature’s first center in 1825.
Vaca Diez asked for the two proposed resolutions to be read: the first to accept Carlos Mesa’s resignation as president of the republic, and the second the establish that Vaca Diez, as well as Chamber of Deputies President Mario Cossío, would decline the presidential succession outlined in the Constitution.



snip>



http://narcosphere.narconews.com/story/2005/6/9/235156/3341

[aneerkoinos]

33. Translation

"Bolivia Has a New President
By Luis Gomez,
Posted on Thu Jun 9th, 2005 at 11:51:56 PM EST
Kind readers, the battle of many armies and one death has reached its end. In these moments, several deputies are in the headquarters of the Supreme Court to invite the “new constitutional president,” as Hormando Vaca Diez called him, to assume command of the executive.
The new president is Dr. Eduardo Rodríguez, head of the court, a man with grey hair and glasses, connected to the Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (MNR)… But some social movements, like those in El Alto, haven’t let themselves be demobilized so easily. As long as “the issue of hydrocarbon nationalization” has not been touched upon, as Edgar Patana of the Bolivian Workers’ Federation said, the demonstrations and blockades will continue.

Hormando Vaca Diez himself presided over the Congressional session. Just before 10:00 at night, all the members of Congress present in Sucre sat down to deliberate in the House of Liberty, the legislature’s first center in 1825.

Vaca Diez asked for the two proposed resolutions to be read: the first to accept Carlos Mesa’s resignation as president of the republic, and the second the establish that Vaca Diez, as well as Chamber of Deputies President Mario Cossío, would decline the presidential succession outlined in the Constitution."
http://narcosphere.narconews.com/story/2005/6/9/235156/3341

[htuttle]

5. Earlier from Narco News (6:40 EST) (not the latest now)

Today's Session of Bolivian Congress Suspended by Vaca Diez

We said so a few hours ago: that the Congressional session in Sucre to consider President Carlos Mesa’s resignation was not going to happen. A few minutes ago, Senator Hormando Vaca Diez, president of the Congress, suspended all legislative work, without any date or time given to resume it, faced with the situation in the Bolivian capital.

This could be the end of Hormando Vaca Diez’s political career, and who knows what else. A contingent of peasant farmers has reached the outside of the Sucre airport and announced that they will not permit any member of Congress to leave the city.

The first confrontations have already begun in Sucre. The mineworkers and students of Sucre are now combating the police near Plaza 25 de Mayo. The uniformed officers are responding with tear gas and with bullets fired at those setting off dynamite.

And while throughout the entire country, hunger strikes grow against the possible presidency of Hormando Vaca Diez, he suspended the session and ran away to hide.

http://narcosphere.narconews.com/story/2005/6/9/1841/31035

Can Veltzé assume the presidency without the legislature being in session? Possibly -- I thought I read something earlier in the week about the Supreme Court having a possible part to play in a transition.

on edit:
I see there's something more recent now posted above.

[K-W]

7. Apparently,

He suspended congress, went into seclusion, then he announced that he would give up his succession rights under certain conditions, but it looks like he will be stepping down and the presidency will fall to the supreme court president who is expected to initiate some process to head towards a new government and elections.

Also the military announced it was backing a process of dialogues and democracy and that it would enforce order.

[IndianaGreen]

8. Indymedia is now reporting that Rodriguez is the new Bolivian President

RODRIGUEZ ES EL NUEVO PRESIDENTE

ÚLTIMO MOMENTO
RODRIGUEZ ES EL NUEVO PRESIDENTE

RODRIGUEZ PRESIDENTE. Rodríguez como Presidente de la República. El Congreso Nacional eligió por mayoría al presidente de la Corte Suprema de Justicia, Eduardo Rodríguez Veltzé, como nuevo Jefe de Estado ante la renuncia de Carlos Mesa al cargo.

http://bolivia.indymedia.org/en/2005/06/19609.shtml

Let's see how long it takes CNN and BBC to pick this up!

Hey! DU was the first to break the news in America!

[IntiRaymi]

35. Their people are in the middle of everything

I have been impressed by the depth of the analysis that these 'authentic journalists' have been able to accomplish. They have native insight.

[IndianaGreen]

9. BBC: Breakthrough in Bolivian crisis

Last Updated: Friday, 10 June, 2005, 03:09 GMT 04:09 UK

Breakthrough in Bolivian crisis

Bolivia's Congress has accepted the resignation of President Carlos Mesa.

The president of the Supreme Court, Eduardo Rodriguez, will temporarily take over, after Senate speaker Hormando Vaca Diez refused the job.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4075252.stm

[genius]

14. So what is Rodriguez like? Is he on the peasants' side or the elitists?

[Jack Rabbit]

10. So, this means early elections

It also appears to be the end of Vaca Diez' career.

Power to the people.

[Say_What]

12. I think it also gives Evo Morales a good shot at the presidency

If so, order up many more truckloads of Maalox for the Bushistas.

Meanwhile, NarcoNews is reporting that Vaca Diez was blaming Mesa and Morales.

http://narcosphere.narconews.com/story/2005/6/9/222532/7815

[IndianaGreen]

16. Washington threatens Bolivia on presidential vote (2002)

Here we go again!

Washington threatens Bolivia on presidential vote
By Tomas Rodriguez and Bill Vann
18 July 2002

In the run-up to the selection of a new president in Bolivia, the Bush administration has issued unconcealed threats of US sanctions and potential military retaliation if the candidate opposed by Washington ends up winning.

The top two candidates in the June 26 election were Gonzalo Sanchez Lozada of the right-wing MNR (National Revolutionary Movement) with 22.4 percent of the vote, and Evo Morales, a leader of the coca farmers’ protests, whose MAS (Movement towards Socialism) won 20.9 percent.

In an indication of the sharply polarized political environment, another new party, the NFR, or New Republican Force, placed third. According to published reports, this party has received significant funding from sources linked to the anticommunist Unification Church of Reverend Moon, which has previously forged ties to right-wing army generals in Bolivia. The NFR received 20.9 percent of the ballots cast, just a few hundred votes less than the MAS.

Under Bolivian election law, in the absence of an absolute majority for any candidate, the country’s congress picks the winner. The US embassy, working together with the parties of the Bolivian oligarchy, is carrying out an unconcealed campaign to ensure that the national legislators deliver sufficient votes to keep Morales out of the presidential palace.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2002/jul2002/boli-j18.shtml

[nerddem]

34. oh god, let's hope not

once in power he'd be just as corrupt as anyone else. morales is a demagogue, i've never trusted him and never will.

my parents sent me back for fourth grade so i wouldn't forget spanish and i remember that everyday some group would have a gripe about something that was usually impossible to accomplish with the budget at hand. these same supposed hypernationalists that talk about how bolivia's wealth is owned by and benefits only foreigners are the same people that would buy something that said "made in usa" over a bolivian product in a heartbeat--trust me, i know, i've seen it with my own eyes my whole life--and will then go on to say that the foreign products are better. so morales puts on a che t shirt and all of a sudden he's this great bolivian leader that'll rescue the country? bull. carry the images of murillo, abaroa, or katari! instead morales chooses a foreigner that went to meddle in bolivian affairs? i thought that was what he was fighting against!

i'm pretty sure i'm old enough to vote now, so maybe i can vote absentee through the embassy...

i just want things to settle down so i can go back and see my family before fall term begins.

[ret5hd]

42. wow, you sound just like some that were so against chavez in venezuela...

morales has done so muich more than "put on a che t shirt". in fact, if that's your entire take on the situation, there's not much to talk about until you educate yourself a little bit.

[daleo]

52. Did you think all this in fourth grade?

Or were you there from, say fourth grade on? Because that is pretty advanced political thinking for a fourth grader. Your post doesn't make this clear.

[nerddem]

56. i go back pretty often

but i can honestly say that i got interested in politics around that time. you see, it's a completely different environment than here.

here, the evening news is crime, sports, celebrities, "human interest", and maybe every now and then something about politics--not that i have to prove here at DU that the MSM sucks ass. but in bolivia, the msm is filled with politics, and while the stories tend to be disheartening nowadays, the important thing is that they are there.

my experience was rather eye opening. i didn't have a grasp of social inequality when i emigrated at 4 years old, but then having lived at the edge of downtown and the ghetto in washington dc and moved out to a lily white, middle class suburb in virginia, i was able to see very plainly the stark differences in how people lived.

one of the first eye-opening concepts was that of currency exchange. on what would be considered a modest allowance in the us, i was living like a king--and this was when the rate was at around 4.80. at the time i was a big civil war buff and interested in military history in general, so i really appreciated my history lessons at school. i even shared my classroom with the nephew of the vice president with whom i clashed on several occasions (back then sanchez de lozada, the guy that privatized everything, was in his first term). he'd call me a "gringo," and i'd call him an "indio," even though i'm mostly aymara myself. the thing is, despite his being a quechua, his family was part of the political elite, which takes in europeans, mestizos, and indians alike to rape the country's coffers. granted, my grandmother had a big influence by pointing out that just about everyone in power is a thief.

i saw a lot of protests, particularly led by the university students back in 94, and they were mostly communist-influenced. so i came back and started researching commmunism and leftist ideology, and the rest is history.

besides, i think just about anyone can have "advanced political thoughts". what the difference for academics like me lies in is terminology and statistical knowledge. but i think anyone can look at a relationship betwen anywhere from two people to two hundred countries and talk about what they see happening. besides, like i mentioned earlier, the average bolivian is much more aware of the political situation than the average american.

i'm done. seriously. ;)

[daleo]

62. Thanks for the response

It was enlightening. I have heard quite a few immigrants say similar things regarding political awareness at younger ages, relative to North America.

[amazona]

53. we're all hoping for peace to come soon

I would guess that achieving wealth through naturalizing the oil and gas production would be a process taking decades. Venezuela nationalized in the 1970s, Mexico earlier than that, but getting the $$$ in the hands of the people has not exactly been a fast or smooth process if you consider it to have happened at all. I guess I'm saying I share your skepticism. I do tend to support nationalization rather than letting foreign interests take most of the money and resources out of the country, because once the resources are gone they are gone. But I doubt it will be an easy path. The United States is supposedly so advanced, but I don't see the "windfall profits" going back to our states that are hurting so badly. Louisiana, an oil-producing state, just passed a resolution in its House to put slot machines in the airport to get money -- we're desperate here.

I hope the flights will be restored very soon and that you can see your family. I would love to visit Bolivia. I'm told by other travelers that it is one of the world's most beautiful countries.

When you do visit, I bet people would love to hear a report of your impression of the changes maybe posted in "General Discussion" forum.

[nerddem]

57. the key is capital for investing in extraction

we may have all of these gas deposits, but back when the ypfb (the state petroleum corporation) existed, they just didn't have the capital to reinvest in maintenance, refining, and pipelines for exportation. so now they've modernized a lot of the operations and started building pipelines, but what morales and crew i think aren't telling the masses is that nationalizion would require a really expensive reimbursement. the banner airline, lloyd aereo boliviano was sold of to a brazilian firm but a wealthy bolivian managed to buy back a majority of the stock. maybe something like this would be a better first step?

don't get me wrong, i'd like to see gas profits being used in a social security system, but (surprise surprise), those very profits would probably mostly disappear no matter if vaca diez's party or morales's party is in power. so to beat a dead horse when it comes to latin america, corruption needs to be stemmed.

another thing is the black market. a lot of those same protestors that have been tearing up my home city, preventing my aunts and uncles from working, preventing my cousins from going to school, and preventing my grandparents from getting drinkable water, are the ones that sell all sorts of foreign goods on the black market that rob millions from the treasury and allow traffickers to launder money. so many bolivian factories had to close because of the rising tide of black market items brought by the drug cartels, which would love nothing more than to see evo morales in power.

[Vladimir]

67. Two things

1) Why would they have to reimburse anything when nationalizing? I mean seriously, why is it that pretty much everyone now assumes renationalization has to go hand in hand with a big payoff to the corporate wankers? Bollocks to that. If they don't like it, screw them and the IMF they rode in on - Bolivia will find plenty of willing customers for its oil who won't care about that sort of shit. China would be the most obvious example, but it wouldn't be the only one.

2) Corruption is always a problem, almost regardless of country. But speaking as a Yugoslav, with a fair bit of experience in living under gray-market conditions, most of the people who sell on the black market probably have no choice. During Milosevic's years in power, nearly everyone smuggled or did a bit of currency trading - it was just how you got by. And the state tolerated it, and I presume tolerates it in Bolivia, because it can't provide the services the black market provides anyhow.

[IndianaGreen]

13. Early elections and nationalization of the oil and gas industries

I believe that was the bottom line of what was being demanded. Will Bush allow free elections in Bolivia? He didn't back in 2002!

[Jack Rabbit]

18. How is the nationalization of oil and gas to take place?

Wouldn't that have to be accomplished after elections?

ON EDIT

Let's not worry about Bush. With the great success he's had against Hugo Chavez, it is obvious that he is a paper tiger when he comes up against Latin American people power.

[IndianaGreen]

22. I don't know, Jack, I am learning about Bolivia as we speak

There are other DUers with personal knowledge about Bolivia, perhaps they will add their POV soon.

[Say_What]

26. Especially since Uncle Sam just got bitchedslapped at the OAS

Noriega had a temper tantrum and said Bolivia was Chavez's fault!! Even the Oligarch's Daily didn't buy that one.

A long-time DU reader :hi: was in Bolivia when president Lidia Gueiler was overthrown by a military dictator named Garcia Meza. He and a friend poked their heads out the window after curfew and bullets went whizzing by their heads. He also said the miners with dynamite are truely not afraid to die. They remind me of the peasants in Batista's Cuba--they have nothing to lose.

...The first is setting in motion the plan for convening a constituent assembly to rewrite the nation’s constitution. The second is a national referendum on re-nationalizing the country’s gas and oil reserves and a national vote on regional autonomy.

http://democracyctr.org/blog/

[IndianaGreen]

27. "regional autonomy"? Do I smell a replay of Katanga province?

When nationalist leader Patrice Lumumba was elected Prime Minister of the Congo, the Belgian business interests and our CIA conspired to split the resource-rich Katanga province from the Congo.

[Say_What]

30. The Indians seem to think so....

From AlterNet:

Bolivia's crisis could take months to resolve. The following are five contentious issues plaguing South America's poorest nation:

....REGIONAL AUTONOMY - The European-descended elite of the wealthy eastern provinces -- home to most of the gas and oil -- are spearheading an autonomy movement that has angered the Indians in the west. After mobilizations demanding autonomy in January, Congress agreed to promote autonomy for all nine provinces. But there was no progress and the autonomy movement in the wealthiest province of Santa Cruz has called an autonomy referendum for Aug. 12.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N09586468.htm

[David Zephyr]

60. IG, the Zephyr Olfactometer signals your sense of smell is very acute.

The Santa Cruz region of eastern Bolivia would be analogous to Katanga province in Congo. Santa Cruz is rich with oil and natural gas and there is a great cry there for "regional autonomy" which the rest of the nation, with justification, resents.

Fortunately, the majority of Bolivian people are keenly aware of the motivations behind any call for "regional autonomy".

Vaca Diez, who showed his fangs yesterday during his failed power grab for Bolivia's presidency is, you guessed it, from the oil rich and affluent province of Santa Cruz. Diez has been one of the leading national proponents for "greater regional autonomy".

MORE ALARMING: The recent report that on May 5th that U.S. troops will be permitted into Paraguay which borders, not just Bolivia, but more importantly Bolivia's Santa Cruz "region" certainly has raised my eyebrows. I've provided a map for our good DU'ers below which illustrates how Santa Cruz sits just north of Paraguay.

[Jack Rabbit]

61. Thank you, Mr. Zephyr

That situation in Paraguay warrants our vigilance.

[IndianaGreen]

11. CNN: Bolivia names new president

Bolivia names new president

Thursday, June 9, 2005 Posted: 11:28 PM EDT (0328 GMT)

SUCRE, Bolivia (AP) -- The Bolivian Congress has accepted the resignation of President Carlos Mesa and named Supreme Court Justice Eduardo Rodriguez as interim president.

That came after both the Senate and House leaders -- first and second in line as Mesa's replacement -- declined the post.

Earlier, protests forced Congress to suspend an emergency session intended to elect a new president as the armed forces chief threatened military intervention if the rioting seriously escalates.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/americas/06/09/bolivia.ap/index.html

[burrowowl]

15. This

so far is a good thing!

[IndianaGreen]

17. For two reasons: no army coup, and no US intervention

Although I would not be surprised if Bush demonizes Morales as he did back in 2002.

[K-W]

25. Supposedly the coup was proposed, but the military refused.

I think we have to assume there would have been a coup if they had the firepower to do it.

[Say_What]

19. NarcoNews: Bolivia Has a New President

<clips>

...The new president is Dr. Eduardo Rodríguez, head of the court, a man with grey hair and glasses, connected to the Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (MNR)… But some social movements, like those in El Alto, haven’t let themselves be demobilized so easily. As long as “the issue of hydrocarbon nationalization” has not been touched upon, as Edgar Patana of the Bolivian Workers’ Federation said, the demonstrations and blockades will continue.

Hormando Vaca Diez himself presided over the Congressional session. Just before 10:00 at night, all the members of Congress present in Sucre sat down to deliberate in the House of Liberty, the legislature’s first center in 1825.

Vaca Diez asked for the two proposed resolutions to be read: the first to accept Carlos Mesa’s resignation as president of the republic, and the second the establish that Vaca Diez, as well as Chamber of Deputies President Mario Cossío, would decline the presidential succession outlined in the Constitution.

Both resolutions were approved, the first unanimously and the second by majority… in the end, Vaca Diez asked for a committee to find the president of the Supreme Court, Rodríguez Veltzé, who he now gave the title “constitutional president.”

http://narcosphere.narconews.com/story/2005/6/9/235156/3341

[IndianaGreen]

20. MNR is a rightwing party, but...

the leftist Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS) supports Rodriguez because it will lead to early elections and avoid bloodshed.

[Say_What]

23. Blog on Bolivia: Vaca Diez Relents

<clips>

...As I write, the Bolivian Congress is meeting in late night session in Sucre where the likely outcome is the acceptance of Mesa’s resignation (which will no doubt make him elated to be leaving the toughest job on Earth) handing the Presidency to the President of the Supreme Court, Eduardo Rodriguez. This also triggers a constitutional requirement for new elections.

The leaders of the current protests are planning to continue their pressure on the government until two additional demands are met. The first is setting in motion the plan for convening a constituent assembly to rewrite the nation’s constitution. The second is a national referendum on re-nationalizing the country’s gas and oil reserves and a national vote on regional autonomy.

The good news is that Vaca Diez’s announcement moves the country away from an all out confrontation. However, the protest movements that began three weeks ago were never about a new President or new elections. They have been about gas and the Asamblea and those two issues are still a long way from being decided.

Good night to all after a very long and tense day here in Bolivia.

http://democracyctr.org/blog/

[IndianaGreen]

24. "rewrite the nation's constitution", that's what Chavez did in Venezuela

It pulled the rug from the oligarchs and gave political parity to the workers and peasants. Looks like Bolivia wants to follow the Venezuelan model. I'll bet the lights are burning late at the US State Department. Kiss my ass, Condi!

[Say_What]

28. They know they've been screwed for hundreds of years and I'm sure

the present constitution reflects that just as Venezuela's did. They want what belongs to them. I say more power to 'em!! But with Vaca Diez gone they've avoided a bloodbath.

Those "the US is worried about Bolivia" headlines will be all over the place tomorrow.

[Jack Rabbit]

32. Headlines

The US is neoconservatives are worried about Bolivia.

The gas and oil is going to be nationalized and if those thugs don't like it, whose army are they going to send in to stop it? The one they've got is tied up in Iraq.

We won this one. We, the common people of the world, won one over the US corporate pirates, their stooge Bush and their quisling surrogates in developing nations.

[Massacure]

47. Either that or they refuse to demobilize the units returning from Iraq.

That would raise a real shit storm here in the United States. It would give the pendalum a nice good heave to the left. Either the United States goes back to the left or Bolivia does. Bush cannot save both. I hope Bolivia goes first though, there are plenty of other ways for the U.S. pendulum to change directions.

[aneerkoinos]

36. Aymara

The most militant of the Bolivian nations, which has been colonized first by Inka and then by Conquistadors and other white people, do know their history.

Aymara have extremely fascinating language and culture. They relation to time is very different from us, they see the past in front of them and future behind them. Distant, mythical past which is out of reach of direct genealogical memory of forefathers is perceived as horizontal.

And unlike European and most other languages, which are based on bivalent logic and mode of thinking, Aymara has very refined trivalent logical system for truth evaluations inherent in the syntax and semantics of the language. Among other things this means that it is quite easy to translate from Spanish to Aymara, but nearly impossible to convey the richness of meaning, a whole different mode of thinkin of Aymara into Spanish and other modern Indo-European languanges.

Aymara is one of the most fascinating cultures to study for linguists and logicians, and let's hope their culture will flourish in a free and equal Bolivia.

[Robbien]

29. I would like to say that Mesa is a stinker once again

If he would have stayed in position there would not have been the Vaca Diez takeover threat.

So glad the day ended as it did. Yay Bolivia, Yay!

Tomorrow the fight begins anew.

[aneerkoinos]

31. HOORAY!

:woohoo:

Thanks for coffeenap exposing that US had troops in Paraguay. We were part of history. :toast:

[Judi Lynn]

37. Court's chief takes reins of chaotic Bolivia

June 10, 2005, 1:24AM

Court's chief takes reins of chaotic Bolivia
First 2 in line for presidency reject it after lawmakers accept resignation of President Mesa
By VICTOR CAIVANO
Associated Press

SUCRE, BOLIVIA - Bolivia's high court chief took office as the country's president late Thursday during an emergency congressional session, setting the stage for early elections aimed at curbing violent protests that have paralyzed much of the nation.

The action came after lawmakers gathered following a day of demonstrations and under a warning by the military of possible intervention if the spreading chaos isn't quelled.

Congress rapidly accepted the resignation of President Carlos Mesa. Then both the Senate and House leaders rejected the job, automatically giving it to Supreme Court Justice Eduardo Rodriguez Veltze, who had been third in the line for the presidency.

"Bolivia deserves better days," Rodriguez told lawmakers after swearing in. "I'm convinced that one of my tasks will be to begin an electoral process to renew and continue building a democratic system that is more just."

The actions appeared to meet the demands of protesters who have been calling for both Senate leader Hormando Vaca Diez and House leader Mario Cossio — the first two in the line of succession, respectively — to step aside in favor of Rodriguez Veltze, who had been promising quick elections.

Lawmakers roundly applauded after voting to accept the resignation of Mesa, whose 19-month U.S.-backed government collapsed in the face of nationwide opposition protests.
(snip/...)

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/headline/world/3219280
(Free registration is required)

[Vladimir]

38. This is an excellent development but

one wonders where its gonna go from here. And the main worry, for me, is whether Morales will follow through on the protestors demands once elected (there doesn't seem much doubt in the stuff I've read that he is gonna win the elections) or be bought off by the US. However, that reservation aside, no civil war and no US intervention equal bloody better news than I was hoping for when I went to bed last night!

[aneerkoinos]

39. We'll see

The secessionist movement in Santa Cruz (with NED funding no doubt) is still in the play, US troops are still in Paraguay, and AFAIK the secessionist referendum is still planned for IIRC August 12. It is interesting and somewhat reassuring that according to other news Columbian troops are being deployed in Santa Cruz, to protect the integrity and sovereignity of Bolivia it would seem. What will be the date for elections is one thing to look for.

If Evo Morales gets elected as President, which is probable but not given (he's not the only guy and not even the most popular of the social movements), I do believe that nationalization of hydrocarbons and constitutional assembly with more equal representation will go ahead.

[Vladimir]

40. Hang on a minute

is the presence of Colombian troops necessarily a good thing? What news are reporting this? Who invited the Colombians in? Answers mate, gimme answers...

:)

I am not so sure about Morales, based on what little I have read on this issue, but I will be very happy if I am wrong.

[aneerkoinos]

41. Oops!

Sorry for the horrible lapsus, of course not Colombian but Bolivian troops deployed in La Paz and Santa Cruz, see this thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1538000

I've been reading that Morales has been loosing popularity in the past months because he's been not radical enough for many of the social movements, wanting to stay the legalistic constitutional course, and thus gathering his share of the mistrust and resentment towards the whole political establisment.

But in a sense he's been playing the good cop role with Aymara, mine workers etc. taking the other role. Should he be elected, I don't think he - or anybody else - would have much chanse but do what the people are demanding.

[Vladimir]

43. PHEW

that is what I thought, but you had me worried there...

I hope you are right about Morales, but he will be under a lot of outside pressure to play nice. The Bolivian movements must keep a similar pressure up internally, and not allow themselves to get complacent - but then I am sure they well realise this. They certainly have my utmost solidarity in their struggle for freedom and sovereignty.

[aneerkoinos]

45. Check post 36

That is why I have trust in the Aymara people, who have been the frontline of this struggle, their peculiar sense of history and truth which must be quite different from ours and their indigenous form of socialism, why I trust that they will keep up the pressure and not get complacent, but stay the course of building from the bottom a society that is more equal, more inclusive and more solidaric, on a foundation that goes back hundreds of years.

What is often forgotten is that the whole Latin American liberation thing started with celebration of 500 years of Columbus and European conquest of America, which the indigenous people were less than enthusiastic to celebrate, and started to build disciplined anger and new sense of purpose, with first defensive victory by the Zapatista movement. More than European divides, in many countries this whole thing is new struggle by the indigenous peoples against the heritance of colonialism.

[Vladimir]

65. A very interesting post

thank you for that comrade. I hope with all my heart that you are right.

[reprobate]

69. Basic history of the aymara

http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/latinamerica/south/cultures/aymara.html

[aneerkoinos]

70. More Aymara links

http://www.aymara.org/biblio/igr/igr.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/feature/story/0,,1423455,00.html
http://www.aymara.org/ternary/ternary.php

[hang a left]

44. In Bolivia, a Decision to Make

In Bolivia, a Decision to Make
By Jean Friedsky,
Posted on Fri Jun 10th, 2005 at 01:19:25 AM EST

Bolivia has a new President. This news comes at the end of a day in which the nation seemed to be heading towards extreme crisis. Under duress from social movements who declared that under no conditions would they accept the Presidency of Senate President Hormando Vaca Diez (first in line after Mesa), Congress had been unable to convene today, dismissed itself at 6pm and declared an cuarto intermedio (break) of indeterminate length. The people of Bolivia were enflamed by their government's continuing inefficacy and it was at approximately 9pm, as movement leaders were coming across the airwaves to talk about the mass mobilizations of tomorrow, that Vaca Diez finally gave in and announced that he would agree to resign. At 10:50pm, Congress convened in Sucre, the city to which the politicians had fled to escape the pressure of La Paz. Within minutes, Parliament approved Carlos Mesa's resignation and Vaca Diez and the number two in line, Mario Cossio, both renounced their position as the new executive cheif. At 11:47pm, Eduardo Rodriguez, President of the Supreme Court, was sworn in as the new President of Bolivia.

The people here now have a decision to make. Rodriguez is constitutionally obligated to call new elections for Presidency, which he has he said will set for the coming months. Over the past two weeks, as Mesa and Congress proved unresponsive to the people's demands for nationalization and a Constitutional Assembly, protesters had begun demanding a new government. With this victory, the social movements must make a choice of how to proceed in the immediate future: postpone the fights for their main demands or continue the battle right now?
Donde Estamos? (Where Are We?)

After more than three weeks of conflict, Bolivia is in a very serious moment. The harsh repercussions of this movement are affecting everyone, especially those who already suffer the most on a daily basis in this impoverished nation. Food supplies in La Paz and El Alto are dwindling, particularly luxury items such as yogurt and cheese. More important for the average Bolivian, prices are rising on staples such as rice, bread, potatoes, eggs and meat. Some hospitals in the capital have declared a state of crisis, lacking gas for ambulances and other critical supplies for operation. The majority of workers in this region can earn no daily income on which to support their families because of the paros (strikes) and lack of transport. And this morning, Juan Carlos Coro, President of the Mineworkers Cooperative "27 de Marzo" from Potosi was shot and killed in a march that was trying to block Vaca-Diez from boarding his plane to Sucre.

In addition to these daily sacrifices, fear has been building. On Tuesday night, Mesa spoke to the nation and for the first time uttered the words "civil war." Among people on the streets, this understanding of potential escalated violence has been alive for weeks. There is much talk of Black October - the infamous month in 2003 when poor and indigenous Bolivians rose up to topple the government of Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada. Goni's government used extreme repression in response, massacring 80 and wounding hundreds of others. Known now as the first phase of the "Gas War," this period provokes a combination of pride and worry among Bolivians. Everyone wants to be able to feel that same sense of victory as in 2003, but no one wants to have to sacrifice so much blood again.

snip>

http://narcosphere.narconews.com/story/2005/6/10/11925/5827

[Bassic]

46. Can you smell the Deathsquads?

I don't think Monkey Boy will be willing to stand for this.

[Jack Rabbit]

48. From the BBC . . .

More

[aneerkoinos]

49. More from BBC

The main protest groups:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4079256.stm

[Say_What]

55. One thing is certain....

these people are organized!! Murikans could learn a thing or two from them. Instead, most here are asleep at the switch while the Bushistas consolidate more and more power and the dems roll over and play dead.


A Bolivian woman walks past a burning barricade outside the Airport in El Alto, 15km (9 miles) south of La Paz, June 10, 2005. Bolivia's new interim president, Eduardo Rodriguez, takes office on Friday with a vow to hold elections and work with indigenous movements clamoring for nationalization of energy reserves and regional provinces demanding autonomy. La Paz is still struggling with fuel and food shortages after blockades by the poor Indian majority, who called for state control over natural gas reserves and a special assembly on constitutional reforms to give them more political power. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)


A Quechua woman holds a sign that reads 'we want peace, we want a constitutional assembly' during a march in Sure, Bolivia, on Friday, June 10, 2005. Bolivia's new president Eduardo Rodriguez pledged Friday to call early elections and take other steps to calm a country paralyzed by weeks of opposition protests that forced his U.S.-backed predecessor to resign. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)
AP - 12 minutes ago

[Jack Rabbit]

58. I agree

People power makes a beautiful picture.

Here's one of favorites; I like a roamnticized image, don't you?



Liberty Leading the People (1830) by Eugène Delacroix
From the website of the University of Southern California

[David__77]

50. Good, but only a start.

Until the national resources have been made public property and the old oligarchy politically expropriated, then there is no real victory. This is a start to a revolutionary process, and I wish the best of luck to the Bolivian farmers, miners and other working people fighting for freedom.

[derby378]

51. Now the real work begins

And some US corporations smell blood - I'm sure Halliburton satellite Bechtel would still love to exact revenge on the Bolivian city that shut down their water privatization scheme about 5-6 years ago.

[daleo]

54. South America has been asserting its independence

I mean the people of South America, of course, not the elites. Is it a coincidence that this tendency has accelerated while Bush has the U.S. tied up in Iraq? People may have sensed that this was the right time to stand up to globalization forces. It is a bit ironic, if so, for the Bushites.

[K-W]

66. No, its just taken this long after the US campaign in the 80s

for the people to be able to organize again.

[daleo]

71. Much of the U.S. military-intelligence complex is occupied in Iraq.

I imagine that has to be helping out some. As you say, the Reagan era meddling took a very deep toll, though.

[IndianaGreen]

72. There is no way that Bush and Condi will let Evo Morales become President

Just look at the Che portrait behind Evo Morales in this picture:



Indian leader Evo Morales might
well become the next president

Bolivia activists ready for truce

Bolivian protesters have started lifting roadblocks and ending the occupation of oil fields after a new interim president took office.

Eduardo Rodriguez, former head of the Supreme Court, has pledged to hold a presidential election soon.

But some activists continued rallying in La Paz on Friday to remind the new president that nationalisation of the gas industry is still a top demand.

They are also calling for the constitution to be rewritten.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4082834.stm

[aneerkoinos]

73. How they gonna stop it?

The Empire's bluff was called once again and found lacking, popular opinion and common sense just beat the Imperialist's orchestrations once again.

Hint: how much Americans (and the economic elite everywhere) still want to believe so, the Emperor has got no clothes. US is an impotent giant standing on clay feet and cannot defeat the injuns no more.

I say time for all Americans, including gringos, to unite against the Empire.

[Robbien]

79. Bolivia is dependent on US/World Bank Aid

In the last election when it looked as if Evo would win, the US did a huge media campaign saying that the Aid would be geopardized if Morales won. The US works hard at getting what it wants.

[aneerkoinos]

81. In fact

IIRC in last election Evo's was going nowhere before US ambassador declared him persona non grata, giving so huge boost to Evo that he nearly won.

No country is dependent on IMF/WB "aid", much less on US aid. Corrupt political establishment in many countries is, but that is very different matter. It is the IMF/WB loans that keep up the neocolonialist structures.

[IndianaGreen]

82. Don't underestimate American gangsterism!

Bush will follow the old worn out script that has served him so well thus far. The WSWS recounts what Bush and his thugs did in 2002 to prevent a Morales victory:

The attempt to bully the Bolivian electorate into voting against Morales began before last month’s popular ballot, with US Ambassador Manuel Rocha warning that in the event of a victory for MAS, Washington would cut off all aid to Bolivia, one of Latin America’s poorest nations.

"The Bolivian electorate must consider the consequences of choosing leaders somehow connected with drug trafficking and terrorism,” Rocha declared in a speech last month. The message left little to the imagination. As the Bush administration has spelled out, the consequences for an alleged connection with terrorism is a “preemptive” US military strike.

<snip>

Washington has a ready-made instrument at its disposal for a coup plot in the form of the Expeditionary Task Force, a 1,500-man paramilitary unit created last year under the auspices of the State Department’s International Narcotics Control Program. The force is comprised of former Bolivian army officers and enlisted men whose salaries, training and orders come from the US Embassy in La Paz. The force has been implicated in killings and assaults against coca farmers and protesters.

The growing US intervention in Bolivia, as throughout Latin America, is exposing the real face of an unelected American administration bent on imposing the will of big business through naked force. Coupled with the downward economic spiral gripping most of the continent, this increased US pressure is pushing the region toward social eruptions.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2002/jul2002/boli-j18.shtml

[Judi Lynn]

59. Update: New Bolivia leader to call vote as protests lifted

New Bolivia leader to call vote as protests lifted
10 Jun 2005 17:46:08 GMT

Source: Reuters

By Patrick Markey

LA PAZ, Bolivia, June 10 (Reuters) - Bolivia's interim president vowed to hold elections as he took office Friday, leading indigenous groups to start lifting roadblocks after weeks of massive protests.

Eduardo Rodriguez, the former Supreme Court chief, was sworn in as interim president late on Thursday, taking the place of President Carlos Mesa who resigned in an effort to halt protests he feared could push Bolivia toward civil war.

The indigenous majority in South America's poorest country has been clamoring for more political power and gas and oil nationalization -- in direct opposition to a European-descended elite.

"One of my capacities will be to call for an electoral process," Rodriguez said after he was sworn in. "I am offering a short mandate with the help of Congress."
(snip/...)

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N10646310.htm

[0rganism]

63. I'm concerned about Rodriguez's confidence in referendum

This guy, while probably less of an authoritarian arse than Vaca Diez, is still tied to the MNR. I can't imagine him promising referendum without some kind of backup plan. What do they know about the elections that the other Bolivians don't?

The only saving grace so far is that Bolivia is probably too poor to buy any Diebold touch-screen machines. Of course that might just be something that Condi chooses to address by way of "foreign aid"...

[Vladimir]

68. Who needs Diebold

when your people are counting the votes? If they want to rig the election, there is one way to stop them - protest protest protest and make it clear the people will accept only one outcome. The pressure needs to be kept up.

[aneerkoinos]

64. Interview of El Mallku

http://www.cronica.com.mx/nota.php?idc=186191

Aymara leader Felipe Quispe (aka El Mallku) says that Evo wants to be President, but they (Aymara) want autonomy. That's about as fas as my non-existant Spanish goes.

[peacetalksforall]

74. Are there links to U.S. troops going into Paraguay? Paraguay where Moon

owns millions of acres of land. Does anyone know where his land is? Next to Bolivia. The article that had the Moon real estate infor in it said that he had arid? land?

Please, are there details about U.S. troops? If yes, this is serious stuff - unless they're there to help Moon arvest the crops compliments of the pRresident.

[aneerkoinos]

80. Links

Here's the original news in Spanish
http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2005/may05/050531/027n2mun.php

This is the "breaking story" in English (not much)
http://www.ww4report.com/node/587

Narconews on Paraguay angle:
http://narcosphere.narconews.com/story/2005/6/9/84257/46598

Neocon US Senator Scott Brown in Paraguay, in military role:
http://www2.townonline.com/wayland/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=261951


Not much details, perhaps calling Paraguay's embassy, or US embassy to Paraguay could shed some light? ;)

[peacetalksforall]

75. I just checked out more info about Moon and found this site -

Rick A. Ross Institute of New Jersey

A database of information about cults, destructive cults, controversial groups and movements. The Rick A. Ross Institute of New Jersey (RRI) is a nonprofit public resource with a ........snip

http://www.rickross.com/reference/unif/unif240.html

Property he has purchased is in the northern province of Chaco - above the Guarani aquafir - the largest resource of fresh drinking water in the world.

A Paraguayan Senator sees Moon's focus is control of water and narcotics. President of Brazil concerned about property purchase on the other side of the border in Brazil. It is a key narcotics crossing point - says virtually all cocaine in Bolivia and Peru pass through there.

The writer says that Iran-Contra was operated from Ciudad del Estes -

There is more....much, much more. Isn't that interesting that we are sending troops to Paraguay? Was that reported in the right wing propaganda (supposed to be news) outlets?

There is a claim of major money laundering going on through a bank Moon purchased. He has been buying towns, factories, and homes. There is an enormous Moon following there. When he opened the bank 4,200 Japanese woman opened an account by depositing up to $25,000 each.

I'm off to check out the maps.

As to Bolivia, I'm on the opposite side of whoever Kissinger is supporting. As in Kissinger the Reaper.

[peacetalksforall]

76. Surprise, surprise...the most northern border of Paraguay butts up

against Bolivia.

[peacetalksforall]

77. Correction - the area described for Moon is the northern province of Chaco

which is mostly south and away from the Bolivia border.

Who is governing Paraguay - that they would allow the U.S. Armed Services to come in?

[peacetalksforall]

78. While figuring out whether the Moon properties are close to Bolivia,

I found this website -

http://www.chaco.gov.ar/PaginasDeLaHomeAnteior/chaco001.htm

It starts out -

Chaco Province...Argentina

A safe investment in the new world order